Gate latch



Aug. 4, 1925.

M. ,R. MECHEM mm: LAT-CH Filed-A iana 1924' I 3mm I Mu.

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Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

UNITED i, STATES MAURICE R. MECI-IEM, OF CLARION, IOWA.

GATE LATCH.

Application filed April 18, 1924. Serial No. 707,446.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE R. MEOHEM, a citizen of the United States,residin at Clarion, in the county of Wright and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Gate Latch, of whichthe following is a specification. V

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in gate latchesand has for its principal object to provide a simple and efficientdevice wherein a gate is adapted for swinging movement in ahorizontalplane, means being associated with the gate for holding the same in alockedpositlon.

One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide agate latch of the above mentioned character, which is of such aconstruction as to enable the same to be operab'lefrom'either side ofthe gate so as to permit the gate to swing 1n either direction as thecase may be. g V I A still further object is to provide a gate latch ofthe above mentioned character, wherein the gate will automatically belocked against swinging movement when the same is returned to its normalposltion.

;; "A further object isto provide a gate latch of the above mentionedcharacter, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong anddurable and furthermore adapted for the purposes for which it isdeslgnated.

Other objects and advantages of this in vent-ion will become apparentduring the course of the following description,

'In'the accompanying drawing forming a part of-this specification and inwhich like numerals designate like. parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gate and the latch associatedtherewith.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 22 of Figure 1,showing an elevational view of the locking means, and

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof. In the drawing wherein for thepurpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of myinvention, the numerals 1 and 2 designate a pair of spaced posts.Disposed between the spaced posts 1 and 2 respectively is the gatedesignated generally by the numeral 3 and the same may be of any wellknown constructlon. The gate 3 is hingedly supported at one end to thepost 1 in the manner shown at 4 in the drawing and the opposite end ofthe gate has extending outwardly therefrom a pair of bolts 5 and 6respectively, the same being arranged adjacent the upper and lowerportions of the gate in the manners clearly illustrated in the drawing;

The locking means adapted to cooperate with the bolts 5 and 6 comprisesa pair of supporting plates 7 and 8 respectivelywhich are mounted on theinner face of the post 2 in the manner shown in Figure 1 of the drawing,and this means being provided for securing the supporting plate to thepost. As the locking means associated with each bolt is substantially ofthe same construc tion, the descriptionv of one is thought to s'uflice'for the description of both. Pivotally 'supported'on each plate attheir upper ends are the arms 9 and '10 respectively, the pivotal meanstherefor being shown at 11 and 12 The arms 9 and 10. converge towardtheir lower ends and pivotally support on their lower ends the bolt,engaging and receiving member1-3. I

The bolt engaging and receiving member 13 is preferably arcuate indesign and the ends thereof arepivotally connected to the lower ends ofthe arms 9 and 10 in the manner shown at 14 and 15 respectively in thedrawing. It is to be understood that the lowerends of the arms 9 and 10are not in any way connected to the plates on which the samea-resupported so as to enable the proper operation of the arms anda-rcuate bolt engaging member in the manner hereinafter to be more fullydescribed. Each of the upper arms 9 and 10 which are mounted on theplates 7 are provided adjacent their lower ends with the cars 16 and 17respectively, the same being arranged on the lower faces of the arms andthis construction provides a means for supporting the upper ends of therods 18 and 19 respectively. The opposite ends or lower ends of the rods18 and 19 are fastened to suitable chains shown at 20 and 21respectively in the drawing and the opposite ends 'of the chains are inturn fastened to the upper faces of the intermediate portions of thearms supported on the lower supporting plate 8 in the manner shown at 22and 23 respectively in the drawing, this construction is more clearlyillustrated in Figure 2. As is further illustrated in Figure 1, the rodsand chains are fastened to the upper and lower arms respectively at apoint adjacent the supporting plate so as not to interfere with theoutward or swinging movement of the gate 3 and the bolts 5 and 6 carriedthereby. 1

Normally the bolts 5 and 6 are arranged in the arcuate locking members13 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 2 and the gate isprevented from swinging on its hinges 4. In order to open the gate so asto permit the same to swing in a horizontal plane, either of the rodsare moved upwardly so as to cause the upward movement of the respectivearm to which the same is connected whereby the arcuate members 13 areraised upwardly so that the bolts 5 may be out of engagement therewithso that the gate 3 may be swung to an open position in the directiondepending upon which of the rods is actuated. In actuating the rod 18,thearms 9 are raised upwardly simultaneously swinging the arcuatemembers 13' upwardly on their pivots 15 formed on the lower ends of thearms 10. This will enable the gate to be swung outwardly in thedirection away from the arms 10. By actuating the rod 19 and the chain21 carried thereby, the arms 10 will be raised simultaneously swingingthe arcuate member 13 on their pivots 14 so that the gate may be swungto an open position in the direction away from the arms 9.

After the gate has been swung to an open position, the arms 9 and thelocking members 13 assume their normal positions and the gate may thenbe swung to a closed position and held in locked engagement by thelocking members 13 automatically. In this operation, the bolts 5 and 6will strike out the outer faces of the arms depending of course on thedirection in which the gate has been swung to an open position and thestriking of the arms by the bolts will cause a similar upward movementthereof and the locking members 13 so as to enable the bolts to enterthe locking members and upon be- 1ng positloned thereunder the lockmgmembers will hold the bolts in locked engagement and against swingingmovement.

The simplicity of my device enables the same to be readily and easilyplaced in position and does not require the use of any complicatedmembers or the like for the purpose of actuating the same. Furthermore,the provision of a device of this character enables the gate to be swungopen in either direction and the same may be returned to its normalposition and held in a locked position automatically. A device of thischaracter may be manufactured at a very low cost, and will further bestrong and durable.

lVhile I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is tobeunderstood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A gate latchincluding a supporting plate adapted to be secured to a post, a pair ofarms pivotally supported at their upper ends on said plate, said armsconverging toward their lower ends, and a substantially arcuate shapedlocking member pivotally supported at its respective ends to the lowerends of the arms.

2. In combination, a post, a pair of gate latches associated with thepost each including a supporting plate secured to the inner face of thepost, a pair of arms pivotally supported at their upper ends on saidplate, said arms converging toward their lower ends, a substantiallyarcuate shaped locking member pivotally supported at its respective endsto the lower ends of the arms and adapted to receive a bolt, and. meansassociated with the arms of the two latches for actuating the arms onthe same side of the locking member in unison with each other.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MAURICE R. MECHEM.

